FAQ What does Super seed do?

[Silas Mariusz]

Symptoms

• You are the first to share a torrent, for example one you made yourself, and its first downloaders wait a long time for a full copy.
• A complete torrent offers Super seed, and you are not sure when to use it.

Cause
Super seed is for a torrent you are the first to share. rtorrent sends each piece to one peer only and offers the next piece once the first has been seen at a second peer. This helps the swarm get its first full copies sooner than when every peer asks you for the same pieces. rtorrent ends super seed by itself once every piece has been seen at two peers, or as soon as more than one other seeder is connected. It then seeds normally.


Resolution

1. In Quick access, click a complete torrent's row to open it, then press Super seed to the right of the Peers and Files tabs. On a phone, the button shows only its icon.
2. Or open the Full view, click the torrent to open its details and press Super seed. For several torrents, tick them and pick Super seed under More.
   
   
3. To end it sooner, press the same button, which now reads Super seed off. In Quick access, the button in place of Stop shows the super seed icon while it runs. Pressing it switches super seed off, and the torrent keeps seeding.

Notice & Advise

• Switching super seed on or off while the torrent runs pauses it for a moment, and its peers connect again.
• Super seed needs a complete torrent that is not checking its files. It stays on through a restart of rtorrent or the NAS until it ends by itself.
• To seed data you downloaded earlier, add the torrent under the seed category. Super seed only changes how a complete torrent hands out its pieces.

Ref. links:
Rtorrent 16 guide: Torrents